There is a continuing strive for smaller electrical connectors which may be manufactured cost-effectively, while being capable of transmitting high speed signals.
A suitable connector comprises a plurality of connector wafers coupled by a coupling piece, each wafer comprising a housing accommodating a column of contact elements. The housing may have opposite side edges, an insertion side exposing the contact elements, a back side and opposite main faces. The connector wafers may be provided with first coupling means extending along at least a portion of a side edge thereof, and the coupling piece may be provided with second coupling means extending along at least a portion thereof. Such a connector is known from WO 2006/002793, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Such a connector may have a relatively small size and may be assembled to comprise a desired number of aligned contacts by selecting the number of coupled connector wafers. By choosing an appropriate relative positioning of adjacent connector wafers the connector may be rendered especially suitable for transmitting high speed signals with relatively high signal integrity, e.g. with relatively low cross talk.
However, small variations in the relative positions of (adjacent) wafers which e.g. result in variations of the (transverse) separation of the aligned contact elements, may have a strong and undesirable influence on the transmission characteristics of the connector, in particular for high speed signals. Such variations may be due to play between the wafers and the coupling piece or coupling pieces, e.g. caused by tolerances which are required for manufacturing and assembly. Such play between the connector parts may also render the connector relatively fragile.
Consequently, there is a need for an improved connector of the aforementioned kind reducing the shortcomings of the prior art.